One Magic Moment
by Alaynthe
Summary: Hermione has a flying accident which leads to some interesting adventures. OotP-Friendly
1. Chapter One: Falling

Author's Notes and Disclaimers are at the bottom of the page.

One Magic Moment

By Alaynthe

Chapter One:  Flying

           "Ron, can we go back down now?" Hermione Granger asked, barely disguised fear making her voice shake.  

           "Aw, come on, Hermione," Ron Weasley whined.  "How often does Harry actually let us ride the Firebolt?"

           She had to admit, Ron was right.  Harry had always been protective of the broom, especially since Sirius had died almost two years ago.  But as the rest of the Order continued to work in secret, it was easy to forget, more than ever on beautiful autumn afternoons like this.  But Hermione couldn't forget one very important fact:  she was still afraid of heights!  How did she get talked into this?  And why did Ron have to fly so fast?

           She held his arms tighter.  "Can't you slow down?"  

           "Um… no?"  Ron said.  She began to feel as if an icy hand had reached into her chest and was squeezing, making her breath come out in short, shallow gasps.  Panic, she realized.  She was so afraid of falling.  As he continued to fly fast, she knew he couldn't control the Firebolt.  Then, she noticed the large Evergreen directly in front of them.

           "Ron.  Tree,"  she managed to say. 

           "Bloody hell!"  was his response as he banked to the right sharply.  She hadn't been expecting such a fast move and the next thing she knew, she had lost her grip on Ron.  She started to panic again as she realized she was no longer on the broom behind him.  She was getting very dizzy, as if she were falling faster.  It was almost like she had felt when she used her Time Turner.

           Time Turner!  She hadn't taken it off after going to Advanced Ancient Runes that morning!  As she landed on solid ground, she knew this could only mean one thing:

           She was in very serious trouble.

~

Author's Notes:

Harry Potter is the property of J. K. Rowling and Warner Brothers.  No copyright infringement is intended.  

Please Read and Review.  Constructive Criticism welcome!


	2. Chapter Two: Findings

Author's Notes and Disclaimer are at the bottom of the page.

One Magic Moment

By Alaynthe

Chapter Two:

Findings

            Hermione slowly sat up, holding her head and warily looking around.  She was still in the grassy area in front of Hagrid's hut, where she had been flying with Ron.  'At least I'm still at Hogwarts!' She thought, 'but I could be anywhere in time!  Past or future!'

            She groaned and stood carefully, thankful that the only souvenir from her fall was a slight headache.  She reached up to her throat.  The Time Turner was gone!  It must have slipped off during her fall.  She quickly looked on the ground where she had fallen, but there was no trace of it.  It could be anywhere in time by now!  She was stranded and defenseless!  How was she going to get home?

She checked for her wand and sighed in relief when she found it still in its pocket up her sleeve.  Not defenseless, then.  She only knew of one wizard strong enough to send her home, and she wasn't even sure if he was alive in this time.  Nonetheless, she turned towards the castle in search of Dumbledore.  

'Or whoever is Headmaster,' she thought with growing dread.  Judging by the leaves on the trees she passed, it was autumn and much of the school was outside, studying or playing in the last warmth Hogwarts was sure to see until spring.  There were even some people flying around like she and Ron had.   

"Serious!  If you kill yourself on a broom, those Slytherins will never let us hear the end of it."  A boy yelled, trying to sound strict but failing miserably.  She was so intent on watching the fliers, she didn't notice the tall, sandy-haired boy until she ran into him.

"Oh no!  I'm so sorry!"  Hermione cried at the same time he asked if she was alright.  

"Oh, yes, I…" How to ask for help without giving away her current situation?  She noticed the shiny gold prefect's badge on the front of his robes and the style of the uniform.  Perhaps that meant she wasn't centuries away from her own time?  "I… need to see the Headmaster.  Can you take me to his office?"

The tall boy smiled.  "Sure."  As they started to walk towards the castle, he turned to her again.  "Transfer student?"

She laughed almost ruefully.  "Something like that," she said softly. 

She was relieved to see that the inside of the castle had not changed much, including the way to the Headmaster's office.  As they turned towards the Grand Staircase, they met a short woman wearing dirty green robes.

"What are you doing inside on a day like this?"  She asked sternly.  

"Taking the new transfer student to Professor Dumbledore, Professor," he answered, still smiling.  Hermione breathed a soft sigh of relief.  Dumbledore was headmaster!  But she could be so far in the past that he wouldn't know her, or so far in the future that she and all her friends could be dead.  She quickly tried to focus her attention back on the professor, who had brightened at the boy's explanation.  

"Well, welcome to Hogwarts, dear!  I am Professor Vepres, I will be teaching your Herbology classes."  She turned back to the boy.  "Now, run along, then."

She turned to leave, but the boy called, "Professor!  The password!"

"Oh, yes.  Saltwater Taffy."

As she stepped onto the moving staircase, she turned to her mysterious guide.  

"Thanks," she said with a smile.

"I reckon I'll be seeing you."

'Oh Merlin, I hope so,' Hermione thought.

~ 

Author's Notes:

Harry Potter is the property of J. K. Rowling and Warner Brothers.  No copyright infringement is intended.

Thanks for all your encouraging reviews.  And I'd like to clear up some questions asked in them.

First of all, I'm sorry Chapter one was so short.  Believe me, it looked a lot longer written out.  

Secondly, I do not dislike Sirius.  He is one of my favorite characters, and while I don't know if he's "gone for good" or not, for the purpose of this story he is presumed dead.  

And, no worries, Funki-mage, I was not at all offended.  :)

Please continue to Read and Review!  


	3. Chapter Three: Talking

Author's Notes and Disclaimers are at the bottom of the page.

One Magic Moment

By Alaynthe

Chapter Three: Talking

           Hermione paused before entering Dumbledore's office.  When she finally did, she looked around, finding it much the same as it had been in her own time.  Fawkes was perched on one side of the room, and the walls were still covered with paintings of former Headmasters and Headmistresses who looked at Hermione with confusion and slight annoyance as she passed.  After all, she had entered without permission.  Thankfully, they remained silent.  In the back of the office, at a small wooden table, Professor Dumbledore was playing chess with Professor McGonagall.  Muggle chess, Hermione noticed.  Then, she noticed something very important:  they were much younger.  

           "Sir?" She asked, not sure what to say and also not wanting to interrupt.  McGonagall looked up in alarm, but Dumbledore seemed merely curious.  They stared at her for a long, silent moment.  

           "You wear a Hogwarts uniform, yet you are not one of our students," he said, eyes twinkling as usual.  Had Hermione not been so confused, she would have been amused how he got straight to the point.  "Or should I say, not currently one of our students?"

           "I-I…" She was surprised at how he knew already—But then, it was rare for Dumbledore to be aware of anything that happened in Hogwarts.  "What year is it?"

           "1977."

           Hermione was shocked.  She knew she had traveled, but to actually put a point down made it feel so different and so much more real.  No wonder they had stared at her school robes, no wonder they had looked so different while the castle did not.  She felt light-headed, and guessed from the look of concern on McGonagall's face that the older witch thought she was going into shock.  McGonagall acted quickly and conjured a soft chair for her to sit in.  Dumbledore offered her a piece of chocolate, which she slowly nibbled.

           "What is your name, dear?" McGonagall asked.  "How did you get here?"

           "Hermione Granger, Professor."  She took a deep breath and began to speak, careful not to reveal anything about the future.  Her use of a Time Turner Third Year had taught her that.  "I had a Time Turner to take some extra classes.  I was riding a broom with my friend, but he lost control and I fell."  She sighed.  "I'm from the future.  In my time, it's 1998."  

           McGonagall gasped.  "A Turner for years?  Can it be done, Albus?"

           "So it seems, Minerva, so it seems."

           "Professor?"  Hermione asked in a small, shaking voice.  "How can I get home?  If Year-Turners haven't been invented yet…"

           "Have no fear, Miss Granger, Professor McGonagall and I will find a way."  Dumbledore answered.  From the other end of the room, Fawkes warbled comfortingly.  "In the meantime, perhaps it would be helpful for you to join the other students.  I see you are a Gryffindor."  He smiled at McGonagall, who was always ready to take on another Gryffindor, especially one who came with her own Head Girl badge.  

           "There's only two Gryffindor girls in seventh year, and one's Head Girl, so I daresay you'll get some peace in the dormitory."  She shook her head in amusement. "Crazy troublemakers, the whole lot of them!  But they're a good bunch.  Head Boy and Girl are both Gryffindors, the first time it's happened in two hundred years," she said proudly.  Hermione gasped.  That would mean…

           She would be in the same House as Lily and James Potter.

           Before she knew it, she was following McGonagall up the staircases to Gryffindor Tower, listening to stories of the Gryffindors' magnificent achievements.  In the years between now and Hermione's first year, McGonagall had changed.  Hermione was sure the professor was just as serious in class, but she'd never seen her be this friendly with a student.  Nor had she seen her talk this much.  Hermione sighed with relief as they reached the portrait of the Fat Lady.  

           "Here we are," McGonagall said.  "The password this week's "Chocolate knickers.'  If I make it through this year without killing Black, it'll be a miracle.  You'll see what I mean soon enough."

           At the password, the Fat Lady's portrait swung open, and McGonagall and Hermione entered the Common Room.

           It was full, as usual for after dinner on a Sunday night, but with people she didn't know.  Normally the Common Room was her favorite place to sit and study, but how could she get anything done here?  She'd be waiting for Ron or Harry to come pester her to stop studying, or for Neville to beg for help with Potions homework; she'd be hearing every conversation they'd had in her head.  For her, the Gryffindor Common Room held too many ghosts: the memories of the friends who weren't born yet. 

~

Author's Notes:

Harry Potter is the property of J. K. Rowling and Warner Brothers.  No copyright infringement is intended.

Thanks again to all Reviewers!  Your comments really encouraged me to get out this next chapter!  


	4. Chapter Four: Faces

 One Magic Moment

By Alaynthe

Chapter Four:  Faces

            McGonagall still had that amazing talent of silencing the Common Room as soon as the Portrait Hole had shut behind her.  Hermione looked around the room at all the students, looking for one familiar or friendly face.  McGonagall's voice quickly pulled Hermione's attention away from the rest of the room.

            "Good evening," she said, and a few voices returned the greeting.  "As you can see, we have a new student: Hermione Granger.  She will be joining the Seventh Years.  I hope you will all make her very welcome to Hogwarts and Gryffindor House," she glanced around the Room, fixing each of the students with a meaningful gaze before turning back to Hermione.  "Now, I'll leave you to get settled.  Alice Pennyacre, our 7th year prefect," a girl with a round face and friendly smile waved from the other end of the Room, "will show you to your dormitories.  And I'll send a House Elf up in a bit with your trunk and some food, as I'm afraid we missed dinner.  I daresay you'd be hungry after all the excitement you've had today."

            Hermione nodded in thanks, growing more and more confused.  'My trunk?' she thought.  'All I have is what I'm wearing!'  She reached into her pocket and held her Head Girl Badge, 'And even this doesn't matter anymore.'  McGonagall exited through he Portrait Hole, leaving Hermione staring at her Housemates wondering what to do next.   This was even more awkward than First Year!

            Before she could decide what to do, a red-haired girl appeared, with a tall, dark-haired boy in tow.  She smiled brightly and held out her hand.  "Hi!  I'm Lily Evans!  I'm Head Girl this year, so if there's anything you need, or if you ever want to talk, come see me!"  She grinned, Head Girl speech clearly over.  "This is our wonderful Head Boy, James Potter, but he's too obsessed with Quidditch to take his duties seriously," she said in mock-serious tones, then she grabbed another black-haired boy with her other arm.  "Speaking of Seriously!   This is Sirius Black, behind him is Peter Pettigrew, and Remus is… around here somewhere."

            "Nice to meet you, 'Mione," Sirius said, dropping the first syllable off her name the way Harry and Ron did.  She quickly pushed that thought away to shake hands with Sirius and Peter, who was blushing profusely.  

            "I hope we'll be very good friends," Lily said.  "Alice and I are the only girls our year, so we spend a lot of time together.  It'll be nice to have another girl friend my age, you know?"

            Hermione smiled, taken in by Lily's friendliness and simple honesty.  "Oh yes.  I don't have any siblings, so I was excited for school, to meet kids to play with."

            "Lucky.  I have a sister, and she's dreadful," Lily said, making a face.  At Hermione's expression, she gasped.  "Oh Hermione!  I'm being dreadful!  You've had a long day and I'm keeping you here chattering!  Let me introduce you to some of the others before you turn in, though."

            Hermione recognized some of the names of the other Gryffindors:  Creevey, Patil, Brown, Bones, Abbot, Finch, before finally running into the sandy-haired prefect from earlier.

            "You sure have a way of drawing attention to yourself, Hermione," he teased with a smile.  Then he held out his hand, "My name's Remus Lupin."

            She smiled back as she shook his hand, but she couldn't help blushing or silence that annoying guilty voice in the back of her mind:

            'I had a crush on my professor.'

~

Author's Notes:

Harry Potter is STILL the property of J. K. Rowling and Warner Brothers.  No copyright infrigngement is intended.  

I want to thank all my Reviewers again, for encouraging me to get this next chapter out.  And zoeey509, you're right.  There are an awful lot of Hermione/Time Turner fics.  

Hooray for Contrived Plot Devices!

Thanks also to Itsumo, for late-night conversations and encouragements.  


	5. Chapter Five: Holy Hogwarts Batman!

One Moment in Time

By Alaynthe

Chapter Five:  Holy Hogwarts Batman!

            The next few moments were a blur for Hermione.  Lily and Alice had led her up the stairs, showed her the Head Girl Room (behind a portrait of a lioness, password: 'Caped Crusader') and showed her to the bed that had been hers before she became Head Girl in her own time.  At the foot of her bed were a tray of sandwiches and a trunk with the initials H. G in gold.  She was confused until she realized McGonagall had transfigured it for her.  She smiled, thankful the professor was her Head of House.  As she drifted to sleep in soft blankets, she felt more at home than she had all day.

~

The next morning was equally hectic, finding her books and meeting Lily and the boys (she figured she didn't have the right to call them Marauders yet) for breakfast.  They took her to the Great Hall, since she "hadn't" been there yet.

"All right there, Hermione?" Sirius asked, as she pretended to be amazed by the bewitched ceiling.  

"Oh yes," she answered quickly.  "What's our first class?"

"Defense Against the Dark Arts with that old bat, Professor Revelin," Peter groaned, clearly pretending not to be afraid of the professor, merely annoyed.  Hermione blinked in confusion.

"Head of Slytherin House, incredibly biased against Gryffindor, not to mention US," Remus explained, gesturing to the five of them.  Then he pointed to the Head Table, where she was glowering at everyone the way Snape did.  She managed to stifle a giggle as James continued the explanation.

"Slytherins are all crazy about the Dark Arts, the whole lot of 'em," he said.

"NOT all of them," Lily said.  James scoffed.

"If you're talking about Snivellus--"

"JAMES."  She cut him off coldly.  He quickly apologized, muttering something about old habits dying hard.  But anyone could see he didn't mean it.

"OK, so they're not all bad, but some of them are pretty brutal, especially to Muggle-Borns." He said.  Hermione noticed that Sirius was strangely silent and tense, and that Lily had bristled at the mention of Muggle-Borns.  

"There are even rumours of Dark Wizards gaining popularity, but the Ministry says it's all untrue.  They've led detailed investigations and have come up with nothing,"  Remus said.

"But couldn't the Ministry be wrong, or even hiding information to attempt to protect the whole community?" Hermione asked, instantly regretting opening her mouth.

"I suppose it's possible, but that'd mean we couldn't really trust the Ministry fully anymore," he said, then he noticed Peter squirmed and turned a little pink.  "You ok, Pete?"

"O-of course, I was just looking for my other quill!"  he said, instantly rummaging through his bag.  Hermione noticed the lie, but the others didn't seem to.  Then, a short boy appeared behind James and waved at Hermione.

"Hi!  So you're our new student," he said with a grin, "I'm Frank, and you're.."

"Hermione," Remus supplied.  Lily turned her green gaze on him and he blushed slightly.  Hermione smiled.  She never thought she'd see the day when Remus blushed.  Then again, she never thought she'd be attending classes with Harry's parents!  

"How'd you all like that essay?" Frank asked, as they gathered their bags and went on their way up the stairs.  

Hermione watched Frank talk animatedly to Sirius and Remus about a new charm he'd learned and wondered if Neville knew what his parents were really like.  Alice was shy, but very nice and Frank seemed outgoing, charming and very smart.  She wondered why he wasn't among the Marauders, since they seemed to be friends.  She shrugged, hoping she'd get a chance to sit and talk about this with her friends at home.

There were already many students in the DaDA room when the seven of them arrived, so they split up: Sirius and Frank, Lily, James, and Peter, and Hermione and Remus.

"So did you have to take Defense Against the Dark arts at—Where'd you go to school again?" He asked.

"Tintagel School of Magic," She lied quickly, sincerely hoping there was no such school.  "We had to take it, yes, and I--"

She was interrupted by the appearance of Professor Revelin.  She was a tall witch with long black hair and startlingly violet eyes.  She was wearing dark green robes and impatiently tapping her wand against the palm of her hand.

"Well, well, I see we have a new student."  She said with a sneer.  "What is your name, girl?  Speak up!"

"Hermione Granger, Professor,"

"Now, Miss Granger, I do hope your _friends_ told you that house points and marks are earned in my class, not given by display of foolish and reckless behavior.  I hope you will perform adequately, as this is a NEWT level class."  She said condescendingly.  "It would behoove some of my other students to remember that."

"I shall do my best, Professor," Hermione said softly, not sure if she was expected to respond or not.

"How kind," Professor Revelin answered.  

'I'll show her.' Hermione thought.  'I'll earn more marks and points than she's ever given a Gryffindor before.'

~

            "So, what'd you think?" Sirius asked, smirking slightly.

            "Is she always that pleasant?" Hermione asked as they walked down the corridor to the next class.  "Or did she just take a special liking to me?"

            "Don't worry, she only hates you because you're a Gryffindor," Remus said.  "Just be glad it wasn't a Double."

            Peter groaned from behind him.  Hermione suspected that was a frequent occurrence.  He seemed to be the complainer of the group, while Sirius, who had more to complain about, was the jokester.  Remus seemed to be the steady one, which wasn't surprising, but she couldn't quite figure out James' role, or Lily's yet.  She grinned up at Remus, who smiled back shyly.  She had so much to learn.  

~

Author's Notes:

Harry Potter is STILL the property of J.K. Rowling and Warner Brothers.  And I'm STILL intending no infringement.

Once more, a big "thank you" to everyone who's reviewed so far!  

Thanks again to Itsumo for putting up with my writer's-tendencies, and MadPsyence, my erstwhile editor, who always encouraged me to write.


	6. Words, Words, Words

One Magic Moment  
  
by Alaynthe  
  
Chapter Six: Words, Words, Words

            Hermione grinned as she pushed open the doors to the library.  It felt like ages since she'd been here!  She loved the smell of the books, the faded ink on dusty paper in leather bound tomes.  It was true- the library was like a second home for her.  She went to the library to study, of course, but also whenever she had problems with Ron and Harry.  She missed them so much!  She wondered what they were doing and if they missed her.

            As she headed to her favorite table, she was pleased to notice that the library was still mostly empty.  She knew why, however; there were only about twenty minutes before the next class, which for her was Double Potions, and with Slytherin, no less!  When she reached her table, a tall, lean, dark-haired boy was sitting there already, bent over what seemed to be a battered copy of _Moste Potente Potions_.  Unwilling to make a scene, she started to move towards the tables she knew were at the other corner of the library.  Her shoe squeaked on the heavily polished floor, and the boy looked up at her.  

            Hermione instantly recognized those dark eyes, which were so full of sadness:  it was Professor (Can't go around calling him a professor, can we, Hermione?) Severus Snape.   In her seven years at Hogwarts, she had never been able to understand the reticent Potions professor.  He had always seemed to hate her, and she had simply held it to be because she was a friend of the famous Harry Potter.  But now that she was here, she saw that perhaps it was something different.  Perhaps she, by falling into this time, had already changed the future--Snape's opinion of her.  As she gathered her courage to speak to him, he spoke.

            "Are you going to explain what you're doing here or just stand gaping at me like a fish?"  He said coldly.  

            How _dare _he?

            "I believe I have the same right to be in the library as you do," she snapped, still surprised at the sight of Snape.  

  
            "Yes, however, you have no right to interrupt my studies," he replied shortly.  She noticed he had already perfected his sneer.  

            "I clearly didn't intend to do that, so _please_," she said condescendingly, "do forgive my intrusion.  I don't mean to take any more of your precious time."  
  
            And with that, she turned sharply on her heel, and strode out of the library.  As she pulled the heavy wooden doors open, she nearly ran into Remus for the second time in as many days.  

  
            "Hi, Hermione!" He said.  "Where are you off to?"  
  
            "Anywhere but here," she replied testily,  "I just had the immense pleasure of meeting Severus Snape…"  
  


            "Slytherin House's resident grouch," he laughed.  "Yes, yes, we've all had our little run-ins with him.  For some reason, he doesn't get along with Sirius and James at all.  Headed to Potions?"  She nodded, trying to not laugh at the mention of Snape's friendship with James and Sirius.  "Good, I'll walk with you."  
  
            "Alright," she said, careful not to turn automatically to the dungeons but to wait for Remus to show the way.  She was inwardly thankful for his friendly chatter through the corridors.  
  


            "Professor Kelly's not terribly bad…Hufflepuff, you see, and he spends so much of his time trying to be everyone's friend, we don't actually get much Potions-making done, which makes Peter happy, believe me."  She laughed, and he continued.  "The only unpleasant thing about the class (besides some of the ingredients, of course) is that it's with the Slytherins."  
  
            "What do they do that's so bad?"  She asked, still learning the ropes of House Relationships.  
  
            "If it's nasty, they do it.  They especially like picking on Hufflepuffs, and Peter.  The Ravenclaws mostly get left alone… Ignored, as Sirius puts it.  In Potions, they like to "help" you with your potion.  Dungbombs are the usual assistants.  But it was worse five or so years ago, when Lucius Malfoy was still going here.  He was sort of their ringleader, and since he graduated, their pranks have been…" he paused and changed from disinterested storyteller to the prankster she knew him to be, "pathetic."  

Then, as if remembering where he was, and to whom he was talking, he changed topics.    
  
            "So, Hermione, want to share a cauldron with me?"  He grinned at her, and she instantly recognized the older, sadder Professor Lupin behind his smile.  She smiled back, not yet sure which one she preferred.  
  
            "Sure."  
  
            They pulled open the door and went to their benches, magically oblivious to the stares of the other Gryffindors, the shock of the Slytherins, and Professor Kelly's overly-cheerful smile.

~

  
Author's Note: 

Guess what?

  
Harry Potter is STILL the property of J.K. Rowling and Warner Brothers. And I STILL intend no copyright infringement.  

Oh, and the chapter title is taken from Hamlet, Chapter Five's title was from Batman (obviously). 


End file.
